Gift from my wife

[pgriff]

My wife surprised me with a plane when she came back from visiting our niece at college. It is marked "Merit Tools" on the lever cap and blade. It is about the size of a #4 Stanley plane. I did a Google search, but did not find much information. I would post a picture, but I have been having a problem trying to resize iPhone pictures to attach to my comments. I want to make sure this isn't something special before I clean off the rust and fettle it. It is special to me because it is the first tool my wife has bought for me when I wasn't with her. Thanks.

[Admiral]

Clean and fettle away. "Merit" was a secondary line sold by Sears Roebuck. Depending on how well the frog and bed are machined, it could make a good user but has zero collector value (not trying to be harsh, but I've never seen a collection of Merit planes....)

[pgriff]

Thanks, Admiral. I figured as much. I will treasure it because she bought it. She was astute enough to notice the repaired sole on the Stanley block plane that was option # 2. 
Time to fettle away.

[Admiral]

Thanks, Admiral. I figured as much. I will treasure it because she bought it. She was astute enough to notice the repaired sole on the Stanley block plane that was option # 2. 
Time to fettle away.

Well, having been married for 45 years, you have to treasure it!  Ha ha......  I'm sure you will find a good use for it.

[tablesawtom]

My wife once called me about 10 years ago about coming across a #7 for $35.  and I was trilled she called and she did buy it. We still talk about it sometimes even today.

 It was great that she was thinking of you. Ever give it much though as to how many wives wouldn't even look or and if they looked, would they even consider buying it as by the way I love you qift?

I would restore it as best you can. If only to acknowledge what she did even if it was one of those that never worked even from the beginning. I would even leave it out so she could stumble across it.

What you go is very valuable and it wasn't the plane.

Tom